He found her in the field, and fate changed. But they still had much to learn about the past - and the future. A Fire Emblem: Awakening novelization.
~Cover art by Liirin Risun~
Summary: Lucina waits with Tharja while Chrom and Elysa are busy in Valm.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
It wasn't quite late morning yet, but late enough that it was no longer considered "early." And if it wasn't "early," then she was late.
"Lucina," a finger poked her cheek. "Your breakfast is going to get cold at this rate."
"Mmm..." The little princess rolled over, her mop of tangled blue hair pooling over the edge of her blanket as she burrowed away from her awakener and deeper into her bed. "If I'm sleeping I'm not hungry," she mumbled into her pillow.
"But you'll be hungry at lunchtime. And then you'll eat too much at lunchtime and make yourself sick." She could imagine Tharja folding her arms crossly over her bed. "Three square meals a day – you promised Daddy, remember?"
At the mention of her father, Lucina pushed herself up onto her elbows sluggishly. "When are my parents coming home?"
"Soon, dove," Tharja sighed. "Sooner, the faster you get on with your day."
"That's not how time works."
"It's a relative— oh, nevermind," Tharja muttered. "Where's Lissa? Isn't she the one who's supposed to wake you up usually?"
"I usually wake myself up," Lucina rubbed her eyes with the back of her hands, yawning as she dangled her legs off of the edge of her bed, and hopped down into her slippers. "But today I was dreaming about Mommy and Daddy... and my bed felt extra comfy."
Tharja's frown softened. "Hey. They will be back before you know it. I promise. And does Aunty Tharja ever break a promise?"
"Never," Lucina smiled. She reached for Tharja's hand.
As her "Aunty" helped her along with her morning routine, Lucina pondered why so many of the other grown-ups didn't seem to get along with her. Tharja was a little pointy sometimes, and not as bubbly as her Aunty Lissa, sure. But she was always full of good stories and let her do all kinds of fun things that her mother and father wouldn't approve of. What was there to dislike?
After washing her face, she patted it dry with her fluffy white towel, softer than a pegasus's wings. She hung it up on their towel-stand, beside the fresh linens that patiently awaited her parents' return. Before I know it, she reassured herself, that's what she promised, right?
Breakfast had survived Lucina's late departure from bed, and was still plenty warm by the time it was served. Lissa was waiting for her.
"There you are, Lucina," she beamed as her niece skipped into the hall.
At her side, Lon'qu bowed his head respectfully to the princess. "Good morning, your highness. Lady Tharja."
"You don't need to do that all formal-y, Uncle Q," Lucina laughed.
